Difference between Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources can never be known before describing the term resource.
The resource can generally be defined as the sources of supply which get utilised to an extent and benefit is produced from it.
The benefits of resource utilisation and includes increased wealth, enhanced well-being with the proper functioning of a system.
However, this concept of resources is associated with several established working areas such as economics, management, human resources, computer science, ecology and biology.
Meanwhile, it must be noted that the term resource is obtained either from Middle French word ressource which means a source or spring or from Old French word resource.
It is also believed to be obtained from the Latin word resurgence, meaning, to rise again or spring up anew.
Thus, with the advancement of technology, it is to be suspected that an item might become a useful resource with the time.
However, if we took the human view over this topic, it is to be believed that resource is anything that is obtained to satisfy its needs and wants.
Putting this in view, the broader biological and ecological perspective takes a resource as a satisfactory deed of the needs of a living organism.
In other words of biology and Ecology, ” a resource is defined as a substance which is required for growth, development, maintenance as well as reproduction by every living organism.”
Like for animals, the key resources are food, water and roof while the key resources for the plants are sunlight, nutrients, water and suitable place for their growth.
As we all know, resources after being consumed by an organism become unavailable for the time being to other organisms and hence to consume resources for earliest, the competition begins.
The competition for the consumption of resources varies on a large scale from Complete symmetric to Perfectly size symmetric to Absolute size asymmetric.
In the complete symmetric system, every individual receives the same amount of resources irrespective of their size.
While in Perfectly size symmetric system, all individual receives the same amount of resources based upon per unit biomass.
But, the absolute size asymmetric system is quite different because in this system, the largest individual receives all the available resources.
While the upper two, that is a complete symmetric system, and perfect size symmetric system provides good effects on every individual.
Whereas, the absolute size asymmetric system has major effects on the structure and diversity of ecological communities.
For example, under the absolute size asymmetric system, plants compete quite tough among themselves to trap the sunlight.
Classification of resources
Resources are broadly classified into various categories.
On a different basis, resources are classified differently and are mentioned below:
Development and Use
On the basis of development and use, resources have broadly categorised into Actual resources and Potential resources.
Origin
On the basis of the origin, the resources are broadly classified into Biotic resources and Abiotic resources.
Distribution
On the basis of distribution, the resources are broadly categorised into localised resources and Ubiquitous resources, means, either the resources are private, community-owned, natural as well as international.
Availability
On the basis of abundance or availability, the resources are broadly classified into Renewable resources and Nonrenewable resources.
However, to know the difference between renewable and Nonrenewable resources, one has to go through the separate deep study of both.
Difference between Renewable resources and Nonrenewable resources
The basic difference of both the resources can be done through its separate study.
Renewable resources
One of the natural resources, which get replenished to replace the degraded portion by its use and consumption.
The replenishment process may be either through natural reproduction or through other processes.
Thus, we may say that renewable resources are part of the earth’s natural environment or the largest component of the earth.
However, some common renewable energy, including solar power, Geothermal power, and Wind power, are also categorised within renewable resources.
History of Renewable Resources
Renewable resources, search as firewood, latex, charcoal, ashes of wood, Indigo have played a crucial role to meet human needs and have done it to a great extent.
But with the beginning of industrial Era, it became quite difficult to meet the needs properly because of deforestation, overgrazing, and overfishing.
Livestock and farmers used the animal body parts such as horn, bones and tendons, after the death of animals as a useful renewable resource and earned a livelihood from it too.
However, in modern times, the resources are replaced partially on a large scale by chemical synthesis.
And to overcome the local shortages, people of remote areas by leaving away the fear of Global shortage of fossil fuels, replaced many renewable resources.
Important natural renewable resources
Though there are numerable existing renewable resources. But some of the important natural renewable resources are as follows:
water
Water can be considered as an important renewable resource because of its carefully control usage and treatment and reuse.
Air
Undoubtedly, every living organisms whether it’s a plant or animal need various gases like oxygen and nitrogen and carbon and many other in small quantities for their survival and its replenishment and reuse can only do this.
Soil
Besides air, water and sunlight, plants do need soil for their growth. But it cannot be replenished, and hence cropping pattern is to be changed to reuse the soil for further agricultural practices.
Several other important natural renewable resources are wood which are used for construction and Housing as well as firewood.
Beside this, various plant products like cotton, copra, hemp, paper, latex, resin etc. are used as renewable resources.
As similar many animal products such as fur, leather, tendons, horns, bones etc are used as renewable resources.
Threats to renewable resources
Renewable resources and the various use of renewable resources are now a days threatened or endangered for non-regulated industrial development and growth. Some of the major factors of threats are overfishing, deforestation, endangered species, pollution, population, industrial growth and technological advancement.
Nonrenewable resources
Other natural resources which cannot be replenished by quick or long term means and keep up with consumption are to be called as Nonrenewable resources.
Nonrenewable resources can also be termed as Finite resources.
These resources are also a part of the natural environment of the earth, but mostly it is found underground.
Various fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals and metal ores are all categorised under nonrenewable resources.
Also Read: Difference between Economic Growth and Economic Development
History of Nonrenewable resources
Nonrenewable resources come from that will run out or can never be replenished in a lifetime.
Most nonrenewable resources are fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gases.
All fossil fuels are formed in a similar way, that is, the process of decomposition.
Over the millions of years ago, the earth was covered with wide, shallow seas and swampy forest.
The deads of the seas and forests were crushed into the sea bed.
However, with the passage of time, rocks and sediments get piled on the top of them, which creates high heat and pressure as well.
Because of extreme heat and pressure, the deads buried inside turned to fossil fuels.
Important Nonrenewable resources
Nonrenewable resources are most often divided into two broad categories which are Fossil fuels and Nuclear fuel.
Fossil fuels are also of various kind and are mentioned below:
Crude oil or Petroleum
Crude oil or petroleum is an important natural nonrenewable resources.
They are very versatile fuel and used to produce various things like plastics, artificial food flavorings, petrol, diesel, jet fuel and propane.
Natural gas
Methane and Ethane are the two major natural gas which can never be replenished by being used once and commonly used in gas ovens, stoves and grills.
Coal
Mentioned as third but the most famous nonrenewable resource is coal, by being used once can never ever be replenshied in a quick term.
They are typically used as fuel for home running, running of various power plants and several industries too.
The most famous nuclear gas is mentioned as:
Uranium
Uranium, a typical and mostly used nuclear gas, formed by nuclear reactions as their products.
It is being used once can never get replenished over a large period of time and hence categorised under nonrenewable resources.
It is most importantly used in refining and purification at various mining sites.